By: Joe Strupp A war of words between the Los Angeles
Daily News and the
Los Angeles Times has erupted over how each paper is covering the controversial San Fernando Valley secession movement -- and what the outcome could mean for news coverage in the area that boasts a third of the city's population.
Daily News owner William Dean Singleton, vice chairman and CEO of Denver-based MediaNews Group Inc., last week predicted that his paper likely would increase its staff and coverage of the Valley, while the
L.A. Times would all but disappear from the area if a ballot measure allowing Valley secession won approval. "If the Valley were its own city, it would probably not get as much coverage from the
Los Angeles Times," Singleton told
E&P. "It would be a footnote because it would not be part of Los Angeles. The
Times has pretty much deserted the Valley already."
Singleton's remarks came partly in response to an
L.A. Times series on secession coverage that accused the
Daily News of editorial bias on the proposal -- and claimed that the
Times had little to fear, even in a possible post-secession era, because Singleton papers were known more "for cutting costs than improving journalism."
"That is typical hack journalism," Singleton said about the series produced by David Shaw, the
L.A. Times' Pulitzer Prize-winning media writer. "It's not true. We've cut some budgets, but -- by and large -- we've been known for adding resources."
L.A. Times Editor John Carroll shot back, defending the Shaw series and calling Singleton's assertions that the
Times would reduce Valley coverage "wishful thinking. ... He knows nothing about us and our intentions," Carroll told
E&P, "which will be to cover the hell out of the Valley." The editor, who joined the
Times two years ago, also offered criticism of the
Daily News' secession coverage, saying the Singleton newspaper's reporting on the issue is tantamount to "promoting Valley secession."
Shaw, who has been covering media issues for the
L.A. Times since 1974, defended his work and said Singleton had told him directly that the
Daily News "was adamantly in favor of" secession.
The Valley secession movement moved closer to achieving its goal last month when the Los Angeles County Local Agency Formation Commission voted to place a referendum question about the proposed action on the ballot in the Nov. 5 general election. The county Board of Supervisors also must approve a measure to put the matter to a vote, which it will consider in August.
Daily News CEO and Publisher John Schueler criticized the
L.A. Times for ignoring the secession issue until this year. "They were asleep at the switch," Schueler said. "They should have known this was much bigger." Carroll's retort: "I think [coverage has] been good, and now it's excellent." Stay tuned!
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